100 students from Arlington Collegiate High School rest from their day of labor at Mission Arlington to take a look at the Mission Arlington’s “Christmas Store” as it takes shape

As the Summer ends and the Fall begins, Mission Arlington^® looks towards the start up of after school programs (in 40+ locations), the transportation of children to and from school, and the kickoff our new and growing sports (baseball and wrestling) leagues.  Our first big event for the fall was our large, free Fall festival which happens on or around Halloween each year. The  festival was a huge success again this year, drawing 3,000 children (with their families), more than ever before.

As the Festival concluded last week, however, the full attention of the Mission Arlington^® family pivots to the holiday season – Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The truth is that we work on the these two holidays all year long.  (For example, we begin collecting, separating, and sorting  Thanksgiving food each year on the day after Thanksgiving. In the same way, we begin preparing for Christmas on December 26th.)  Having said that, we have now “turned the corner” and “shifted into a higher gear.” It is “full speed ahead” as we head into the holidays.  You can sense the excitement all around as we move into this final season of the year. It truly is, as the Andy Williams Christmas song declares: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”

We begin this season of Thanksgiving each year by being thankful for you. Because you give, and because you volunteer, and because so many of you pray, we can be here to help, and we can have food to give away on Thanksgiving day and toys for Christmas morning.  This week, among many other conversations and encounters, we spoke to a man whose job had downsized the hours he could work. He was trying to make ends meet. He was working hard not to ask for help, and wanting to do things right, yet he had not eaten in three days.  He also didn’t have money to buy laundry detergent.  What a blessing it was for us – on your behalf – to provide the food and the detergent he needed for that moment.  We were also able to pray for him, and we will continue to stay close.

Two students from Arlington Collegiate High School help sort food in preparation for Thanksgiving.

Already, so many of you have been having food drives – as individuals, as families, as different groups from all over the community.  Others have come to help sort and separate the food, or the Christmas toys.  Pictured with this article are a group of students from the Arlington Collegiate High school. A hundred of them came last week to organize books for the Fall festival, and to get food into position for Thanksgiving morning.  Texas Health Resources groups have been coming to help, and student groups, church groups, and teams of all shapes and sizes have been here to make a difference – all so that someone who is less fortunate will have the provisions they need for their family.

We are grateful every day to be part of such a generous, caring community of people. We thank God for you, and for the privilege we have of serving along side of you every day.  As we have turned the corner towards the holidays, and year’s end, may God provide the wind beneath our wings.  May he use each of us to support those in our community who just need a little extra help to get by.